EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a regular summary
of operations at DOE’s Idaho Site. It has been compiled
in response to a request from stakeholders for more
information on health, safety and environmental
incidents at DOE facilities in Idaho. It also includes a
brief summary of accomplishments at the laboratory. The
report is broken down by contractor:
Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP),
Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP)
and
Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This summary will
be sent to everyone on INL’s regular news release
distribution list every other week. To be added to this
distribution list, please call Brad Bugger at (208)
526-0833.

Flag-raising recognizes the AMWTP as a Star Site.

Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project

No incidents to report.

Operational Summary

Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project Recognized for
Safety: The U.S. Department of Energy has recognized the
AMWTP as a Star Site in its Voluntary Protection
Program. The designation comes after an extensive review
of the project’s safety practices, the knowledge
employees have about safety procedures, and DOE’s
determination that AMWTP is truly a safe site.

Idaho Cleanup Project

Aug. 3: While responding to a power outage at the
Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, an
electrician received an electrical shock while removing
a fuse. The electrician was taken to the Central
Facilities Area medical facility, where medical staff
examined him and released him back to work with no
restrictions. A fact-finding meeting was convened to
determine the cause of the incident and prevent a
reoccurrence. (EM-ID—CWI-LANDLORD-2009-0004).

Operational Summary

Remediation of Unexploded Ordnance: Part of DOE’s
Idaho Site was used as a Naval Gunnery Range during
World War II. As part of the remediation of the Idaho
Site, DOE and its contractors have worked to identify
potentially unexploded ordnance still left at the site
from the gunnery range days. The cleanup project
recently completed geophysical surveys of the Rail Car
Explosion Area this summer. Archeological and ecological
surveys are being performed over the next several weeks
to identify any areas of concern in conjunction with the
geophysical surveys of the area.

Idaho National Laboratory

July 21: While performing routine maintenance on the
Advanced Test Reactor-Critical (ATR-C), material
deficiencies that included two missing rivet heads on
two absorber plates and swelling on another absorber
plate were noted. The ATR-C was taken out of operation
until the deficiencies can be resolved. (Note to
editors: The Advanced Test Reactor-Critical is a
low-power, full-sized duplicate of the Advanced Test
Reactor, also located at the INL, and should not be
confused with the ATR). (NE-ID—BEA-ATR-2009-0019).

July 29: Workers at the Hot Fuel Examination Facility
were able to work in close proximity to an exposed 480
volt bus duct supplying power to a cask cart. The
workers could possibly get their fingers or hand-held
tools in contact with the bus energized portion. The
cask cart was placed out of service until system
modifications could be made. (NE-ID-BEA-HFEF-2009-0002).

July 29: It was discovered that the inlet and exhaust
lines of a continuous air monitor located at the Neutron
Radiography Reactor were inadvertently “swapped,”
causing them to be connected in error. The air monitor
is used to sample the NRAD reactor room. A critique was
held and notifications made of the error. The reactor
was in secure mode at the time of the discovery.
(NE-ID—BEA-NRAD-2009-0001).

Aug. 3: Data sent from the Advanced Test Reactor
Complex to an off-site laboratory for sample acceptance
was different than the data used to generate the
shipping papers. The off-site laboratory questioned the
data used for the sample acceptance and contacted the
laboratory. A new radiological source term was
calculated to correct the sample source term, and the
sample was accepted by the off-site laboratory. There
was no Department of Transportation reportable
violation, and investigation is underway to determine
why the original source term was inaccurate.
(NE-ID-BEA-RTC-2009-0001).

Operational Summary

Explosives Detection System: The Idaho National
Laboratory recently demonstrated a new,
more-sophisticated system to detect the distinctive
chemical signature of nitrogen, which indicates that
explosives may be present in a vehicle. The system will
allow security personnel to inspect the cargo of semi
and delivery trucks without opening cargo doors.